COMPONENT ONE: Management, Accountability, and Organization of Student Leaders
1.2. Effective Team Organization: Student leaders are grouped into teams or committees according to their skill sets and passions. This approach maximizes their contributions and fosters a collaborative environment within the teams.
Every Activities Director knows the struggle: you have talented students, big energy, tons of potential… and yet the work still doesn’t flow. Usually, it’s not because the kids don’t care, it’s because they’re in the wrong roles. That’s why organizing student leaders into S.O.D.A. Passion Teams: Sound & Spirit, Outreach, Design, and Activities, is such a game changer. It’s not just organization. It’s alignment.
The honest truth we see year after year is that students rarely struggle because of apathy; they struggle because the work doesn’t fit who they are. When their strengths and passions finally match their responsibilities, everything shifts. In a true S.O.D.A.-aligned program, your hype kids take ownership of rallies and energy; your artists handle branding and visuals; your connectors naturally step into recognition and people-centered work; and your planners run logistics with a level of detail that makes your life as an advisor a whole lot easier. Suddenly, leadership isn’t chaos, it’s clarity. Students stop waiting for instructions and start taking initiative because the work actually feels like them.
As advisors, we feel this shift just as much as they do. When students are operating in their strengths, we get to coach instead of micromanage. Meetings run smoother. Follow-through improves. Events get stronger because students are working from passion, not obligation. And honestly, the whole culture of the program becomes lighter and more productive.
Reflection & Discussion Questions
- Where in your current program do you see misalignment, students working hard but not in the lane that fits them best?
- If you reorganized your leaders by strengths and passion tomorrow, what’s the first positive change you think you’d see?
Need more support or resources?
If you need more support or resources in this area, please reach out. I would love to partner with you to build the best program possible.
Stephen Amundson
📞 559.936.0503
📧 stephen@fourseasonsofschoolculture.com
FOUR SEASONS OF SCHOOL CULTURE 